Improvement in machines for testing files amd steel



J. GARLAND.

MACHINES FORTES'I'ING FILES AND STEEL. No.170,166.

Patgnted Nov.23, 1875.

FIG.

FIG.2|

INVENTUR.

FIEIIEv WITNESSES.

NEPEYERS, PHOTO L TNOGRAPHE UNITED r'rns- JAMES GARLAND, OF PAWTUGKET,RHODE ISLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHlNES FOR TESTING FILES AND STEEL.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 170,166, dated November23, 1875; application filed April 7, i875. i

To all whomc't may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES GARLAND, of Pawtucket, in the county ofProvidence and State of Rhode Island, have invented a new and usefulMachine for Testing Files and Steel, of which the following is aspecification, referring to the accompanying drawing making part of thesame, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of my said machine. Fig.2is a plan or top view of the same. Fig. 3 is a view of the under side ofthe file-bar.

Similar letters mark like parts in all the figures.

My invention relates to the employment of mechanism to determine thecharacter and practical value of files and steel for the manufacture ofthe same, and other purposes; and the invention consists in combining afiling mechanism, capable of operating two files at a time, with meansfor holding two equal pieces of steel, one against each file, with anequal pressure continuously, in such a manner that the two files and thetwo pieces of steel will be subjected to a similar action and usage, inall particulars corresponding with the practical use of the file uponmetal, so that a comparison may be instituted between the two files asto their several qualities of cut. hardness, and durability, and as tothe uniformity or fineness of grain, the toughness, or other quality ofsteel, by filing the two pieces with two files of the same ascertainedquality, or by interchanging the two files 5 the object being toascertain by absolute trial the rela tive value in difi'erent respectsof any two files,

and the nature and value of steelfor different purposes, in the sameway.

In the drawing, the filing mechanism mentioned consists of a horizontalbar, B, attached to the slotted plate P, which is connected by thestud-pin S to the crank-plate F on the driving-shaft, which, byrotation, transmits a reciprocating movement to the bar B endwise. Thesaid bar is mounted and bears against the cylindrical surface of twoflanged rollers, R R, on its upper surface, near the two ends, and thereis another roller, T, near the middle of the bar, which affords abearing and support beneath it. These rollers, besides affordingsuitable anti-friction bearings, also keep the bar in line, and enableit to slide freely with a steady and uniform stroke. To each end of thebar, on the under side, a file, M, is firmly secured by screw-binders for other suitable means. Beneath the two files, and in line with therollers R R, two metal-holders, A A, are arranged, and either firmlysecured to, or forming part of, the table or frame of the machine; andeach of said holders is provided with a vertical opening through itscenter for the reception of a bar of steel, L, of corresponding size andform, as shown in Fig. 1, which bears endwise against the surface ofeach file at c,the opening through said holders being sufficiently roomyto permit the steel to slide freely therein'upward against the files bythe application of suitable pressure thereto by means of theequalizing-weight D and the cord passing over the two sets of pulleys HH and J J, which, it will be seen, exerts an equal pressure on bothbars, to the lower ends of which the two ends of the cord is attached. Agraduated indicator, G, is also attached to, and moves upward with, thetwo steel bars, by which to note, by a suitable index or pointer, thereduction of the length of each bar by the said filing operation, whichis going on at its upper end.

The whole apparatus being properly mount ed in a frame, E, the operationis as follows, viz: Two files, which may be of different grades ofmaterial, or of different manufacture, or one cut by hand and the otherby machinery, &c., are secured to the opposite ends of the bar B, asshown in Figs. 1 and 3. Then a bar of steel is broken in two in themiddle, and the two ends formed by the breaking inserted in the holdersA against the two files, after which the lower ends of the two bars areconnected by the cord to the weight D, when the machine is started bythe rotation of the crank F by a band running over the pulleys I I, withthe efi'ect to produce an equal mechanical stroke forward and backwardwith each file upon the corresponding pieces or surfaces of the twoparts of the same bar of steel,

'with precisely the same pressure upon each file, the resultbeing thatthe superiority of cutting will be determined by that file reducing thesteel more rapidly than the other in a given time, as will be shownunmistakably by i i l i thetwo indicators Gr. The best-hardened filewill be determined by the freedom of the teeth from breaking, unless toohard, or the flattening at the edges if too soft, or their continuedgood order under severe and continued use if properly hardened, whichalso determines the relative durability of the files in cutting for agiven length of time under the same circumstances.

These results, which can be accurately arrived at by means of thismachine, make it of great value, because it enables the manufac- Havingdescribed my invention, I claim 1. The combination of the filingmechanism, in which two files can be operated at a time, and a holder,for holding a piece of metal, with suitable means for pressing orfeeding the same equally against each file during the operation,substantially as described.

2, The indicator G, in combination with the metal-holders A A and asuitable pressing or feeding device, as described.

3. In a file and steel testing machine, the combination of the followinginstrumentalities A reciprocating file-holder, an automatic device forholding the steel against the reciprocating file, and an indicator forrecording the amount of work done, the Whole operating togethersubstantially as and ,for the purpose described.

JAMES GARLAND.

Witnesses:

ISAAC A. BROWNELL, SAMUEL GIRvIN.

